His greatest love.

Chapter 44.

He stood by the floor-to-ceiling window with the city lights having the most breathtaking view glittering and even still with the most beautiful view of the city it was only Diana that was lurking through his mind. He had the most beautiful weekend with her and even though it was a busy day he still couldn't stop thinking about her. There was a knock on the door and in walked in his lawyer Dom followed by two arrogant clowns that decided to play tag with him.

He saw their smug reflection on the window as they got comfortable in his office and the warmth on his face just vanished.

In place was a man who craved to destroy everything that stood in his way or anything that became a thorn to his flesh.

And thanks to his right hand lawyer, Dom he had them exactly where he wanted them.

"Let's get this meeting going. I have places to be." Matthew said a smug look on his face as he looked to his contract lawyer Ellen who was competent, but inside his office competence was starvation.

"Such arrogance." Dom the legal consigliere said coldly as he flipped through a dossier with care.

"Am justified considering you are the ones begging for my coastal property despite me making it clear to all of you that i would rather give it to anybody but you." Matthew said a smile tugging at his lips.

Gio didn't turn. His voice cold. "Then consider this eulogy."

He walked slowly to the table, each step deliberate but silent and cold.

"You've been laundering access to the Port through my competition...letting them dock, shift cargo, store, route. I let you play. I even offered you way above-market value,112 million. And you spat on it."

"Your desperation, is something that is quite intriguing." Matthew said shrugging lightly looking over to Ellen.

"Not anymore," Dom said, snapping open a file. "Past tense."

He slid the folder toward Matthew, whose expression shifted the moment his eyes landed on the document.

"As of three days ago, we have completed a silent acquisition of your third-party leasing network. Every logistics outfit your port depends on now answers to us meaning we now own the pipeline that feeds your terminal."

"That's illegal-" Ellen blurted.

"No," Gio cut in. "That's corporate triangulation via a  holding structure and T intermediaries. Entirely legal."

Dom flipped through the papers as Gio sat at his seat.

"Since this transfer, your port has lost 68% of its throughput contracts. Effective next quarter, your debt-to-income ratio will disqualify you from refinancing your bonds. We ran the numbers with a former IMF analyst."

He closed the folder with a snap.

"Your bankruptcy clock starts ticking next Thursday."

"You bastard," Matthew said angrily.

Gio looked at him his eyes dark and cold yet calm and brutal. "Not yet."

"You opened your gates to my enemies... Built them a dock and let them operate under your blessing. You thought I was desperate?? You thought you could what?? Humiliate me??."

He smiled but there was no joy in it.

"Such a rookie mistake."

Dom tossed another file to the table.

"In addition to the asset choke hold, we filed a Federal Injunction under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. We hired a former EPA regional director to review aerials of your southern bay."